14/7/99: Ryman League Division Three

Great Wakering Rovers 3 Tring Town 1

Tring's afternoon did not get off to the best of starts when an M25 traffic jam meant that they did not arrive at the Essex ground until 2.30. Mick Vipond was able to select Eddie Gerrard and Paul Turner with both having recovered from injuries, but Paul Aldridge was unavailable on holiday. Two RAF-based players, Gavin McKnight and Jason Asquith made their debuts. Despite putting up a good fight against the league newcomers, Tring could not prevent going down to an opening day defeat.

The home side made all the early running, and could have taken an early lead when their star striker Paul Flack was sent clear by a ball over the top, but Tring keeper Lee Brown saved well with his legs. Two minutes later Wakering did have the ball in the net from a free kick but it was disallowed for offside. They only had to wait three minutes longer to go in front. Tring were caught square at the back and Flack nipped in to shoot home from the angle of the six-yard box.

Tring refused to buckle, though, and on 24 minutes were back on level terms. Kevin Godbould chased down a back pass to the Wakering keeper Dave Hudson, and Godbould just managed to get his boot to the ball first and lobbed it over Hudson into the empty net.

The equaliser spurred Tring on to gain the upper hand for the next twenty minutes, but a lapse of concentration saw them go behind again on 43 minutes. Wakering defender Micky Munro came up for a corner and was allowed a free header to put them 2-1 up. Tring might still have pulled level before the break when Mark Underwood hit an excellent long range shot, but it went inches over the bar.

Ten minutes into the second half Brown had to pull off his best save of the match, coming off his line to deny Danny Scopes after Wakering had broken quickly from a poorly-taken Tring free kick. Tring brought on Sean Sangster to liven up the attack, and the teenager was soon involved in Tring's best move of the match on 58 minutes, which ended with McKnight side-footing just wide from Matt Rawdon's cross.

However, Tring showed little as an attacking force after that, although the outcome was not confirmed until three minutes from the end. As Tring struggled to clear their lines, the ball dropped invitingly for Jimmy Ablitt on the edge of the area, and he struck a first time shot through a crowd of players which Brown got a hand to, but couldn't keep out.

Team: Brown, Underwood, Simpson, Godbould, Turner, Asquith, Gerrard, Dale, Rawdon (Kinsley), McKnight, McKane (Sangster).